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What Happens When A Small-Town Family Visits The "World's Largest"... Whatever!

PHOTO FRIDAY: World’s Largest Pancake Griddle

On our way up to Rochester last weekend, we stopped to see the World’s Largest Pancake Griddle in Penn Yan, NY!  Don’t we look tiny in front of this thing? It measures 27 feet across.

griddle

Pass the syrup!

It is not lost on me that The Boy has grown nearly as tall as me…sigh…he needs to stop doing that.

So, the story is that on September 27th, 1987, the Birkett Mills company cooked the world’s largest (buckwheat) pancake in this huge griddle, which was placed over hot stones. They mixed the batter in a cement mixer, and flipped it with a crane.

After we left, I tweeted that I think Penn Yan is Dutch for “middle of nowhere.” The very nice staff at the Penn Yan Public Library responded, graciously setting me straight as to the true origins of the name.

In its early days of settlement, the town welcomed emigrants from Pennsylvania as well as from the New England states. “Penn Yan” credits both parties – “Penn” in honor of Pennsylvania, and “Yan” in honor of the Yankees, as all people from the New England states were called.

I’m sharing this on Photo Friday at Delicious Baby.

 

5 comments

  1. May 20, 2011 @ 11:53 am

    What a place! I love your adventures and follow them all the time. Soon I’ll be visiting some of them hopefully, when visiting the States.

  2. Ann said,
    May 21, 2011 @ 11:41 pm

    I am REALLY enjoying your blog Traci! Thanks for dropping by my muffler man post. Hope you have a great weekend.

  3. Adria said,
    May 22, 2011 @ 9:29 pm

    Who knew there was a “World’s Largest Pancake Griddle”? Great photo! I’m loving your blog 🙂

  4. Dominique said,
    May 23, 2011 @ 11:50 am

    Now you have to find the world’s largest waffle iron, the worlds largest sausage link, the world’s largest chicken…fun post, and I enjoyed hearing about the origin of the name!

  5. tiffany said,
    June 18, 2011 @ 12:49 am

    i love!! pancakes.. this is awesome!